Wednesday's News & Ideas - 1/22/2020

Iowa pastor says running for office is a test of faith
Religion News Service: In an era where the Republican Party often dominates conversations about faith and politics, the pastor is one of several Democratic candidates quietly mustering religion-conscious campaigns to take down powerful Republicans in 2020.

A church allegedly asked older members to leave. Leaders say that didn’t actually happen.*
Washington Post: A United Methodist church in Minnesota has put the spotlight on widespread generational challenges across the county, with many leaders trying to attract younger people without alienating the elderly members who are the backbone of their dwindling congregations.

Welsh parents lose opt-out for sex, relationship and religious education
The Guardian: Government confirms pupils will no longer be able to be withdrawn from classes.

Our problem isn’t just loneliness -- it’s species loneliness
Christian Century: How human isolation from the rest of the world keeps us from thriving.

More non-evangelicals are calling themselves born again
Christianity Today: A growing share of mainline Protestants and Catholics have taken on the once-distinctive label over the past three decades.

The Spark

The subversive joy of cold-water swimming
Britons are skipping the heated pool and rediscovering the pleasures of lakes, rivers, and seas -- even in winter,* The New Yorker says.

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